This invention relates to an apparatus for strapping bales of resilient material such as synthetic fibers, cotton or wool.
This apparatus contains certain improvements over the apparatus disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,403,542 which is assigned to the assignee of the present application.
The improvements embodied in the present apparatus are directed to the problems of wire control when high tensile strength wire in the range of 120,000 to 190,000 PSI is used to bind the bales of material. This wire has a large diameter in the range of 0.072 to 0.162 inch or even larger. The present apparatus provides better retention of the wire in the wire tracks during the feed cycle and better control during the tension cycle. The wire must stay in the tracks until it is desired to be removed.
The heavier wire is necessary to provide strength in wire strapping or binding applications where the package is extremely heavy or large, and also in those applications where the package is wire strapped or bound in a press during its pressed dimension.
For example in binding synthetic fiber bales the bale is wire strapped at a pressed dimension of approximately 291/2 inches in height. After the strapping is around the bale the press is released and the bale expands into the wire strapping. This produces re-growth pressure against the resistance of the wire strapping. The bale can be prewrapped or not wrapped.
This heavy high tensile wire is very stiff and springy. It produces much more resistance and pressure on both straight and curved wire tracks than does the lighter tensile or small diameter wire commonly used for other applications.